]]>HARRISBURG –Senator David G. Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks) expressed his dismay over Governor Tom Wolf’s recent veto of bipartisan legislation that would have established basic work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients.

“We had a real opportunity to help control climbing costs while ensuring that funds are reserved for those who truly need it, but the governor has decided to stick with the status quo” Argall said. “Right now, in Schuylkill and Berks Counties, with record-low unemployment, and in much of the rest of Pennsylvania, many employers tell me they are seeking out new employees for good-paying jobs. How can we have good jobs with vacancies, while at the same time we have able-bodied workers without jobs? The governor has vetoed a bill which sought to break that cycle.”

House Bill 2138 would have required able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work at least 20 hours a week or complete job training and educational tasks. Those exempted from this legislation included pregnant mothers, high school students, individuals over the age of 65, those receiving disability benefits and other groups who could not reasonably perform any work duties.

During state budget negotiations earlier this year, the Department of Human Services acknowledged that more than half or 486,000 of 942,000 non-disabled Pennsylvania adults on Medicaid are not working. In the last 10 years, Medicaid expenses have increased over 35 percent while overall state spending has increased 8 percent.

“This should be a bipartisan effort just like the federal welfare reform of the 1990s” Argall continued. “We need stronger reforms if we ever want to break the cycle of poverty and control our spending. The reform measure the governor vetoed would protect the integrity of these programs and the data shows that work requirements do in fact work based on what we’ve seen in other states.”

HARRISBURG – Senator David G. Argall (R-29) chaired a Senate Majority Policy Committee hearing with experts on the recently decided U.S. Supreme Court case Janus v AFSCME at the state Capitol on Thursday to learn more about the court decision’s impact on public employee unions and potential state legislative responses.

The hearing was requested by Senator John H. Eichelberger, Jr. (R-30), who recently introduced legislation to implement reforms to provide notification for public employees who are part of a collective bargaining unit.

“Today’s hearing is a first step to understand the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on public employees, their rights and their paycheck as well as what the state’s response could and should be. As the grandson of a teacher who was fired due to politics decades ago at a time when teachers had no rights at all, I understand the sensitive nature of this issue,” Argall said.

“It was important for members of the legislature and the general public to hear about the broad implications of the decision by the United States Supreme Court in Janus v. AFSCME,” Eichelberger said. “As we learned in today’s hearing, many public employees in Pennsylvania are unaware that their First Amendment rights are being violated. I am very appreciative of the national voices who came to testify today on worker’s rights, including former U.S. Secretary of Education, William J. Bennett.”

The hearing featured Dr. Bill Bennett, who serves as Chairman of the Conservative Leaders for Education. Dr. Bennett also served as President Reagan’s Secretary of Education.

“[The] Janus [decision] could be a critical turning point for our schools and the profession of teaching if the right decisions are made going forward,” Bennett said, encouraging support for a proposal offered by Senator Eichelberger.

“A decade from now, will we be able to look back and say this was a turning point for schools and the profession of teaching, or will we have to say it was another lost opportunity to do better for our students, our teachers, the teaching profession and our nation?,” he asked.

The hearing also featured Vincent Vernuccio, who is a senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy; Terrence Pell, President of the Center for Individual Rights; David R. Osborne, President and General Counsel of The Fairness Center; and Greg Hartnett, who is a public school teacher at the Homer-Center School District in Indiana County.

Vernuccio discussed the myth that individuals who do not wish to pay union dues are “free riders.” “They are forced riders,” he said, stating that they do not want to see their dues go to political campaigns they vehemently disagree with but have no other options.

Hartnett, who fought to leave his teachers union, recounted the challenges of finding a resolution. “It took a great deal of time and effort to leave my union,” he testified.

Pell argued that the states that are putting up roadblocks to make it more difficult for employees to willingly leave their public sector union said they will experience higher costs. He said the Eichelberger proposal would be a “huge cost-saver.”

In his closing, Bennett said the most important thing the legislature can do at the state level is to have thoughtful and sensitive discussions about advancing any legislative agenda that follows through on this important Supreme Court decision.

Senator John H. Eichelberger, Jr. (R-30) speaks during a Senate Majority Policy Committee public hearing at the state Capitol on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus v AFSCME.

Senator David G. Argall (R-29) chairs a Senate Majority Policy Committee public hearing at the state Capitol on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus v AFSCME. The hearing was held at the request of Senator John H. Eichelberger, Jr. (R-30), right.

Vincent Vernuccio, senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, testifies at a Senate Majority Policy Committee public hearing at the state Capitol on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus v AFSCME.

Terrence Pell, President of the Center for Individual Rights, testifies at a Senate Majority Policy Committee public hearing at the state Capitol on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus v AFSCME.

Pennsylvania public school teacher Greg Hartnett, left, testifies alongside David R. Osborne, President and General Counsel of The Fairness Center, at a Senate Majority Policy Committee public hearing at the state Capitol on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus v AFSCME.

Dr. Bill Bennett, Chairman of the Conservative Leaders for Education, testifies at a Senate Majority Policy Committee public hearing at the state Capitol on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus v AFSCME. Dr. Bennett also served as President Reagan’s Secretary of Education.

The Senate Majority Policy Committee listens to the Conservative Leaders for Education’s Dr. Bill Bennett at a public hearing in the state Capitol on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Janus v AFSCME. Senator David G. Argall (R-29), center, chaired the hearing and was held at the request of Senator John H. Eichelberger, Jr. (R-30), right.

]]>Governor signs bipartisan bill establishing guidelines for public safety facility closureshttps://www.senatorargall.com/2018/10/24/governor-signs-bipartisan-bill-establishing-guidelines-for-public-safety-facility-closures/
Wed, 24 Oct 2018 20:26:57 +0000https://www.senatorargall.com/?p=16492Governor Wolf has signed bipartisan legislation authored by Senator David G. Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks) that would provide a standardized process as to how public safety facilities, including state prisons and state police barracks, are closed in the future.

]]>HARRISBURG – Governor Wolf has signed bipartisan legislation authored by Senator David G. Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks) that would provide a standardized process as to how public safety facilities, including state prisons and state police barracks, are closed in the future.

The legislation was introduced in June of 2017 in response to the Wolf Administration’s announcement to close down at least one state prison out of a potential five prisons from communities across the state, including SCI Frackville, SCI Mercer, SCI Pittsburgh, SCI Retreat and SCI Waymart. In 2015, Governor Corbett and Secretary Wetzel closed two state prisons – SCI Cresson and SCI Greensburg.

The Senate unanimously passed (49-0) Senate Bill 748 on October 15th after amendments were made by the House of Representatives which voted unanimously (175-0) to pass the bill on October 11th.

“This is a victory for our state employees and the local communities that are served by these facilities” Argall said. “ We pushed this bill because when the initial prison closures were announced last year, there was a complete lack of notice and absence of clear procedures. A lot of unnecessary stress was placed on prison employees who wondered how they would continue to provide for themselves and their families. Communities that host these facilities also faced uncertainty and wondered what kind of hit their local economies would take.”

The new law establishes a minimum of seven months’ notice. The state must notify state and local stakeholders, including local lawmakers, at least three months prior to a planned facility closure announcement. The agency seeking the closure must thoroughly review any local implications of the planned closure as well as hold a public hearing in the county where the facility is located. The agency must provide a written report detailing the recommendations to the Governor and leaders in the General Assembly.

“I want to thank Senators Baker, Brooks, Fontana and Yudichak for all they have done to get this bill over the finish line” Argall continued to say. “This truly was a bi-partisan effort not only in the Senate, but also in the House of Representatives because both chambers approved this bill unanimously. That’s important to realize because even in our current, partisan political climate, it proves that Harrisburg has the potential to solve problems.”

]]>HARRISBURG – The Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Senator David G. Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks), will hold a public hearing regarding state legislative initiatives following the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, Janus v AFSCME.

“Senator Eichelberger recently introduced legislation that would shed more light on workers’ rights in collective bargaining agreements,” Argall said. “We want to learn more about what this federal court decision means for Pennsylvanians and their First Amendment rights.”

The hearing will feature testifiers from various organizations, including Dr. William Bennett who serves as Chairman of the Conservative Leaders for Education. Dr. Bennett also served as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education under President Reagan. Other groups include the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the Center for Individual Rights and The Fairness Center.

The hearing will be held on Thursday, October 25 at 11 a.m. in Hearing Room No. 1 of the North Office Building at the state Capitol.

Senator Argall and Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks), teamed up with Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John C. Rafferty (R-Berks/Chester/Montgomery) to bring Senate Bill 172 to life after hearing reports from Berks County transportation officials about the hazardous conditions that highway construction workers face from speeding motorists.

“This whole issue started back in 2014 when Senator Schwank and I met with transportation leaders from Berks County” Argall said. “The problem is that too many motorists are speeding through these construction zones putting workers’ lives at risk. If you look at the statistics, we saw over 1900 crashes in work zones with 23 deaths across Pennsylvania in 2015, all because motorists couldn’t slowdown in active work zones. That’s an unacceptable statistic and we promised our constituents that we would help ensure the safety of those who work to build and maintain our infrastructure.”

According to statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, work zone crashes have been increasing at a rate of five percent annually since 2012.

Automated speed enforcement cameras (ASES) will be deployed in active work zones along federal aid highways under PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission’s jurisdiction. Motorists that exceed the speed limit by at least 11 mph when construction workers and an ASES are present will receive a written warning for the first offense, a $75 fine for the second offense and a $150 fine for third and subsequent offenses. Motorists who do not speed through these active work zones will not be impacted by this legislation.

This legislation was based on a law that previously passed in Maryland. Approximately seven percent of motorists in that state were found to exceed the stated speed limit in work zones by at least 12 mph. After legislation was passed placing speed cameras in work zones, the number of Maryland drivers exceeding the posted speed limit dropped to less than one percent.

Further commenting on his newly signed law, Senator Argall stated “this legislation has always been about changing driver behavior and making conditions safer for our highway workers. Now that SB 172 is law, I am certain that the troubling statistics I noted earlier will decline significantly. I thank Senator Schwank and Senator Rafferty for all their bipartisan support in making this legislation possible. I also want to thank all of our highway construction workers who work tirelessly to maintain our infrastructure, I’m hoping that this legislation will make you feel more secure as you carry out your day-to-day work.”

]]>Bipartisan bill establishing guideline for public safety facility closures heads to the Governor’s deskhttps://www.senatorargall.com/2018/10/16/bipartisan-bill-establishing-guideline-for-public-safety-facility-closures-heads-to-the-governors-desk/
Tue, 16 Oct 2018 13:17:28 +0000https://www.senatorargall.com/?p=16459Bipartisan legislation that would provide a standardized process as to how public safety facilities, including state prisons and state police barracks, are closed in the future is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

]]>HARRISBURG – Bipartisan legislation that would provide a standardized process as to how public safety facilities, including state prisons and state police barracks, are closed in the future is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

Senator David G. Argall (R-29) along with Senators Lisa Baker (R-20), Michele Brooks (R-50), Wayne Fontana (D-42) and John Yudichak (D-14) sponsored Senate Bill 748, which would establish the Public Safety Facilities Act, in response to recent state prison closures over the last few years that were undertaken with little or no input from the communities that were affected.

Senate Bill 748 was introduced in response to the Wolf Administration’s 2017 announcement to close down at least one state prison out of a potential five prisons from communities across the state, including SCI Frackville, SCI Mercer, SCI Pittsburgh, SCI Retreat and SCI Waymart. In 2015, Governor Corbett and Secretary Wetzel closed two state prisons – SCI Cresson and SCI Greensburg.

The five legislators convened a bipartisan hearing to learn about the process of how a state prison is closed, noting the shock to the communities that were notified in the 11th hour of a possible closure.

The Senate unanimously passed (49-0) Senate Bill 748 yesterday after amendments were made by the House of Representatives which voted unanimously (175-0) to pass the bill on Thursday, October 11th.

“I am pleased that the Senate approved this legislation again in such a speedy fashion” Argall said. “When the Governor and the Department of Corrections decided to close a prison within 20 days of the announcement, we believed this was an inadequate amount of time to solicit input and information from the directly affected parties and experts, including the facilities’ workforce or local government and the local community. I am certain that this bill will alleviate any future stress concerning prison closures.”

The bill establishes a minimum of seven months’ notice. Under the bill, the state must notify state and local stakeholders, including local lawmakers, at least three months prior to a planned facility closure announcement. The agency seeking the closure must thoroughly review any local implications of the planned closure as well as hold a public hearing in the county where the facility is located. The agency must provide a written report detailing the recommendations to the Governor and leaders in the General Assembly.

If all criteria are met, a public safety facility may close no sooner than four months from the announcement.

]]>Bipartisan bill wins approval in House to require state to establish guidelines for public safety facility closurehttps://www.senatorargall.com/2018/10/11/bipartisan-bill-wins-approval-in-house-to-require-state-to-establish-guidelines-for-public-safety-facility-closure/
Thu, 11 Oct 2018 17:16:33 +0000https://www.senatorargall.com/?p=16374The House of Representatives approved a bipartisan proposal today that would provide a standardized process as to how public safety facilities, including state prisons and state police barracks, are closed in the future.

]]>HARRISBURG – The House of Representatives approved a bipartisan proposal today that would provide a standardized process as to how public safety facilities, including state prisons and state police barracks, are closed in the future.

Senators David G. Argall (R-29), Lisa Baker (R-20), Michele Brooks (R-50), Wayne Fontana (D-42) and John Yudichak (D-14) sponsored Senate Bill 748, which would establish the Public Safety Facilities Act, in response to recent state prison closures over the last few years that were undertaken with little or no input from the communities that were affected.

In 2017, the Wolf Administration sought to close down at least one state prison out of a potential five prisons from communities across the state, including SCI Frackville, SCI Mercer, SCI Pittsburgh, SCI Retreat and SCI Waymart. In 2015, Governor Corbett and Secretary Wetzel closed two state prisons – SCI Cresson and SCI Greensburg.

The five legislators convened a bipartisan hearing to learn about the process of how a state prison is closed, noting the shock to the communities that were notified in the 11th hour of a possible closure.

“We worked together in a bipartisan way to ensure that any future decision when it comes to potentially closing state prisons or state police barracks goes through a process that is open and transparent,” Senators Argall, Baker, Brooks, Fontana and Yudichak said. “These institutions provide jobs to the community that are vital to local economies. It is troubling that these decisions that affect the lives of hundreds of Pennsylvanians can be made overnight. Senate Bill 748 will make it a deliberate process if the state chooses to close down any more facilities.”

The bill establishes a minimum of seven months’ notice. Under the bill, the state must notify state and local stakeholders, including local lawmakers, at least three months prior to a planned facility closure announcement. The agency seeking the closure must thoroughly review any local implications of the planned closure as well as hold a public hearing in the county where the facility is located. The agency must provide a written report detailing the recommendations to the governor and leaders in the General Assembly.

If all criteria are met, a public safety facility may close no sooner than four months from the announcement.

“Transparency is key and this bill will ensure there is a better process moving forward,” the senators added. “We are grateful for the input and support for this legislation of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, who represent the thousands of state corrections officers at our 24 state prisons.”

The legislation will head to the Senate for a concurrence vote then to Governor Wolf for his signature.